


Slow Burn

by Rachel_Lu



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Bad Wolf Rose Tyler, Doctor Who References, Episode: s01e01 Rose, F/M, Tenth Doctor Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2015-05-17
Packaged: 2018-03-30 22:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3953713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel_Lu/pseuds/Rachel_Lu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Rose land at the edge of a frozen tundra, with only a cave and each other for warmth</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow Burn

The TARDIS had landed them on the edge of what Rose would describe as 'an actual frozen sheet, Doctor' that was far less impressive than Women Wept. She did her best to enjoy herself, because even though the landing was a mistake, the Doctor seemed very excited about it. He rocked back on his heels as they stopped outside the TARDIS, a contented look on his face.

So she gave it a chance, gazing out of the glittering ice and mountains rising in the distance. It was certainly an alien planet, and also deserted. She let her eyes travel over what was land and what traced into water, the ice clearer where there would be a river were it warmer. She tightened her hand around the Doctor's, realizing her lack of mittens and knowing he would probably provide enough warmth until they left. That was the plan, anyway. 

"A quick jaunt, just what we needed, don't you think?" The Doctor asked quietly, smiling down at her.

Now having been taken in by the appearance of the ice, a small smile crept across Rose's face, though she didn't make eye contact with the Doctor. He wasn't offended, it was all the same to him. He liked watching her when she discovered beauty in something. When she discovered something, he could too, through her eyes, and it was the most beautiful thing that he could think of these days. She saw things as only a human could, through clear eyes unclouded by judgment for a species she hadn't met or a place she'd never been. But she'd also seen so much as a time-traveler, that she wasn't naïve. No, Rose was an objective woman who could very clearly discern right from wrong, but every once in a while, she would allow grey areas just for him.

His bliss of gazing at his companion was interrupted by the unexpected sound of the TARDIS dematerializing.

Rose turned, started, as the Doctor shouted "No, you get back here!" At his time ship like she was a spoiled child. And sometimes, she very well could be. The Doctor pulled his hand out of Rose's so he could card both his hands through his hair, frustration building. Rose would be cold, he knew it. They hadn't dressed for this because they hadn't planned for it. He was wearing his usual several layers, but she wore only a hoodie, vest top, jeans, and tennis shoes. She would be bloody freezing before the night was over, and there was never any telling when the TARDIS would return.

"Why'd she do that?" Rose asked, the puzzlement clear in her voice. Of course, the TARDIS had never disappeared back into the Vortex for her, so she had every right to be confused. She scrunched her eyebrows and tilted her head. "Doctor?"

"I don't know," the Doctor admitted honestly. "But, we're going to have to find somewhere to stay, aren't we? Don't know when she'll be back." Rose raised her eyebrows at this statement, but the Doctor reassured her, "She'll come back. She probably just needs to heal." 

He grinned at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. He could make anything seem interesting, couldn't he?

"Have you been here before?" Rose asked as they started their trek over the ice.

"Yes," the Doctor nodded. "There are plenty of caves in the area. Rocks, not ice, mind you, so it'll suit the both of us just fine. Right over there," he pointed over a small hill to wear Rose could just make out the top of a great, yawning cave.

She shivered involuntarily, the cold starting to bite into her brittle human bones. "Let's get going then."

He shrugged off his trench coat and helped her into it before taking her hand again as they set off. Rose was warmed more by the gesture than the actual coat itself, but couldn't stop herself from asking, "Aren't you going to need this?"

"Superior biology," he replied. "You need it far more than I do."

They walked the rest of the way to the cave in companionable silence, Rose not able to stop herself from gazing at all the beautiful things around her. It was almost surreal, but then she felt that cold again and she remembered that it was very real, minus the 'sur'.

The cave cut down on the wind, for which Rose was grateful. She immediately started to walk faster to get to the back corner of the cave, sitting down and bringing her knees up to her chin, still wearing the Doctor's coat. She shivered and buttoned a couple of the buttons before burrowing down farther into it.

The Doctor gazed at her for a moment, his hands in his pockets. "Stand up," he said lightly, rocking back and forth on his feet, his trainers making a light squeaking against the cold rock of the cave floor. "Come on, trust me, stand up."

Rose, eager for any way to get heat in her bones and overwhelmed with the trust she held for the Doctor, moved to her feet and stood before him, meeting his gaze. "Standing now," she announced, trying to sound cheery even though she could feel her cheeks and fingers starting to go numb. She envied his superior biology very much in that moment. Maybe it was the two hearts, providing extra heat when needed. Or, even simpler, it was just because his body temperature was colder, so he could withstand colder temperatures. She couldn't decide which.

They stood there for a moment, watching each other. Then, suddenly, the Doctor smiled at her and held his arms open to her. Without even thinking, she flashed him a grin of her own and buried herself in his arms, snuggling against his chest. These two were no stranger to having the occasional cuddle, but they were never more than platonic cuddles, a fact that both parties lamented silently. One because he knew he shouldn't feel that way, and one because she thought he didn't.

The Doctor laughed and squeezed his arms around her, tugging her fully to him, leaving no room for personal space at all. But was there really any need for it anyway? Rose pressed her freezing nose into his shoulder, trying to pull any heat from him that she could.

"Better?" He asked, his voice uncharacteristically hushed and gentle as he skimmed an open palm up and down her back. 

She shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. His voice cut through her in a very good way, possibly a way that was too good. She tried to remind herself that he probably wouldn't even think twice about this tomorrow, That was, if the TARDIS came tomorrow. She didn't want to think about spending the night there.

"Yeah, better," she breathed, and before she could lose her nerve, she turned and kissed him on the cheek before cuddling back into him again.

His hand stopped mid-slide up her back, and she screwed her eyes shut, immediately regretting her actions. How stupid had she been to do that? Best to pretend it never happened now.

And to her absolute dismay, that was exactly what he did. The pause of his hand was brief, and he started running it up and down her back again as if nothing had occurred. Rose was halfway between being offended and relieved. She let out a heavy sigh she knew he for sure heard and felt under his own chest. She focused on the warmth of his body and the beating of his hearts, her own embarrassment doing wonders at keeping her warm.

And then, the rather unthinkable happened. After a minute or so of pause, the Doctor pressed a kiss to the top of Rose's head. Her breath hitched at the touch, feather-light but perfectly, deliciously deliberate. Oh, they were playing a game now, she knew that. But her moves would be more obvious, because she had to turn her head. Then again, she'd started the game, so why not be the one to escalate it?

She allowed almost the same amount of time for a pause before slowly turning her head, still letting it rest against his shoulder, and leaning forward to kiss his neck, a little harder than the peck he'd given her. At this angle, she could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed heavily and grinned at the effect. At that moment, it became more than a game. Both of them were releasing a touch of the tension that had always been growing them with every kiss carefully placed.

Granted, there weren't many places that the Doctor could reach with Rose in this position without pushing her away from him, so he ended up placing his next kiss on her temple, adding more pressure still than her last addition. 

She shifted purposefully, sliding her body along his, and tilted her head and kissed the underside of his jaw, and before she could think about it too much, let her tongue flick out for just a millisecond before pulling back from him and resting her head on his shoulder, so close to him that her lips were against his neck.

The up and down motions of his hand on her back had stopped completely, and she was so close to him that she could hear his repertory bypass system kick in, which meant he had forgotten to breathe. Now, obviously he wasn't going to take his turn now, was he? She'd have to just take it for him, if he couldn't. She traced her nose along his jawbone, pausing to press kisses along it, making certain the game she was playing and how very adamant she was about it. She moved back up his jawbone and gently bit his earlobe before she rested her head on his shoulder again, signaling the end of her turn.

He growled, actually growled at her, and started pushing her. At first she thought she'd gone too far, that this was it, that she was so very stupid in doing that that she could hardly stand herself. But he continued to push her, and she started to grow confused until her back connected with the far wall of the cave and she managed to look up into his eyes. She gasped as she realized that they were almost completely dilated, his breathing heavy and jaw clenched.

"Tease," he hissed before pressing into her and taking his turn. 

He kissed the exposed skin of her face and neck, touching the corners of her mouth and the space below her bottom lip but never actually on her mouth, teasing her in return. He traced his nose along the shell of her ear and whispered long, melodious words to her before ducking below to her neck and sucking on her pulse point. As the kissing continued, she could only think of how much she wanted him on her mouth, now. If he wasn't going to properly kiss her, this would all be a waste.

She whimpered, her voice desperate, and she choked out, "Doctor, please."

"What do you want, Rose?" He asked, his teeth finding her collarbone and lightly nipping along it. "Tell me."

She could only manage a rough "Kiss me."

He pulled back and studied her face, his own less pure want and more gentle love, if Rose's readings were anything to go by. He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, his other coming to rest on her waist. "Tell me to stop," he whispered, and that was the moment she remembered that he wasn't supposed to do this with his companions, he didn't do domestics, and he thought this was wrong. Her breath caught in her throat, and she studied his eyes, searching for the right answer behind them. 

"No," she said firmly,

That was all the permission he needed. He pressed her into the cave wall, ducking his head to press his lips finally, blessedly, to hers. He crushed her between the wall and himself, and she'd have been lying if she'd had said she minded. Her arms found their way around his neck and she pulled him lower, opening her mouth under his.

He pushed into her mouth without hesitation, the desperation clear in his actions. She felt as though she might smother and he pulled back to worship the skin below her collarbone. She could only handle that for so long before she needed him to be kissing her again, and she pulled him up by his hair, back to her waiting mouth.

Desperate, sloppy kisses continued for minutes, every once in awhile surfacing for air between, but never actually stopping. Eventually the Doctor brought Rose down, leaning into her, the kisses turning reverent and languid. They still found that they couldn't stop, had to be touching at every possible point on their bodies, whether it was skin on skin or fabric sliding, they needed it.

They were only interrupted when the sound of the TARDIS materializing in the cave broke them apart, both panting, and the Doctor still holding Rose pinned against the wall. Rose glanced at the Doctor before she started laughing, and the Doctor couldn't help but join her.

"Shall we continue this inside?" He asked, his voice low.

"Thought you'd never ask," she said, almost alarmed at how husky her voice was.

He scooped her up into his arms and pressed another hard kiss to her mouth before kicking the TARDIS door open and muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Allons-y, Rose Tyler" before disappearing into the console room.

The TARDIS shut her own doors for them and hummed contentedly to herself. She really knew what her Thief and her Wolf needed.


End file.
